How to take care of your child’s teeth

Taking care of your child’s teeth from the day when they first appear will instil good oral hygiene habits they will take through life.

When those first little milk teeth appear, then is the time to start brushing twice every day.

Keeping up the daily brushing habit as well as taking them to the dentist every six months and watching those sugary treats are the best ways of taking care of youngsters teeth.

Start by using a toothbrush designed for their age group with a small amount of toothpaste.

Make sure the paste is low in fluoride and suitable for their age group.

Check they are brushing well and keep an eye on their technique until they are seven years old. By this age they should have a reasonably full set of adult teeth.

Once your child reaches the age of three, they can then use a small blob of the same toothpaste used by the rest of the family as long as it contains a standard amount of fluoride.

This fluoride content should be no more than 1,350-1,500ppm. This will be specified on the packaging which comes with the tube of toothpaste.

NHS dental treatment is free for children and you should attend regular check ups usually every six months or twelve months.

Prepare them well for a visit and read stories with them about trips to the dentist before they go to break down any potential fears when you arrive.

Cutting out the sugary treats will reduce potential dental decay. This is caused by acid from the treat reacting with bacteria in the mouth then attacking the tooth enamel.

Don’t let them snack on sugary foods through the day but restrict them to mealtimes to cut down on the amount of time exposure their tiny teeth will be exposed to the acid.